NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - One in five children will
develop chronic abdominal pain during adolescence, according to
a new study in English schoolchildren.

The problem was more common in girls, with one-third
reporting persistent stomach pain, compared to 13 percent of
boys, Dr. A. El-Metwally of the University of Aberdeen in
Scotland and colleagues found, but the reasons for the gender
difference remain unclear.

Most children with abdominal pain have no physical
abnormalities, the researchers note; "children with such pain
have been described as compulsive, highly strung, and
perfectionist," they add. Some studies have suggested that
these stomachaches could predict psychiatric or
gastrointestinal problems in adulthood.

To investigate the development of chronic stomach pain over
time, the researchers followed 675, 11-to-14-year-olds for up
to four years. All were free from stomach pain at the beginning
of the study. Among the 392 children followed for the entire
time period, 22 percent reported pain at the one-year follow-up
that persisted to the four-year follow-up.

ADVERTISEMENT

Both girls and boys who had headaches were more likely to
develop chronic abdominal pain, the researcher found. Other
factors predicting stomach pain in boys included having conduct
problems, not enjoying school, feeling tired in the daytime,
and being tall.

Menstruation didn't appear to be a factor in the higher
incidence of abdominal pain in girls, the researchers note,
because girls who were menstruating and those who hadn't yet
begun having periods had the same likelihood of developing
stomach aches.

Height itself could be a risk factor for stomach pain in
boys, they add, or it could be a marker for another factor such
as early puberty.

Psychosocial problems are known to be linked to
non-illness-related stomach pain in adults, but it's not clear
why, the researchers note. "The potential gender-related
differences found in the current study highlight the complexity
that surrounds this relationship and needs further
investigation," they conclude.